Citizens United goes with Bruning

More evidence of the divide on the right in the Nebraska Senate race: Citizens United is going with Jon Bruning.

The group's political action committee tells POLITICO it will formally endorse the Attorney General Thursday, writing him a $10,000 check for the primary and general elections.

In a forthcoming statement, Citizens United president David Bossie says Bruning represents "new blood in the conservative movement."

“As Nebraska’s Attorney General, Jon Bruning is helping to lead the fight against Obamacare, and he will bring that fight to the United States Senate next year. Jon Bruning is a constitutional conservative and I look forward to working with him to further the conservative movement in the years to come. Nebraska will be well represented by Jon Bruning in Washington, DC," Bossie said.

Bruning's chief rival for the nomination, State Treasurer Don Stenberg, has the backing of Sen. Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund, which has been helping prop up his lackluster fundraising.

The endorsement of Bruning counters a poll released by DeMint's team Thursday that shows Stenberg within 6 points of the front-runner in the nomination fight.

The Basswood Research poll of 500 likely primary voters taken Jan. 23-24 puts the heat at 32 percent to 26 percent for Bruning. In June, Bruning's lead was a gaping 23 points, according to the same pollster.

Former Sen. Bob Kerrey continues to loom over the race for retiring Sen. Ben Nelson's seat but has not yet announced a decision on whether he'll run.